Trail of Tears (Billy Ray Cyrus album) explained

Trail of Tears
Type:	Studio
Artist:	Billy Ray Cyrus
Cover:	Billytrail.jpg
Recorded:	1995
Studio:	Screaming Woo Music and Secret Sound (Nashville, Tennessee)
Genre:	Country
Length:	42:45
Label:	Mercury
Producer:	Billy Ray Cyrus Terry Shelton
Prev Title:	Storm in the Heartland
Prev Year:	1994
Next Year:	1997

Trail of Tears is the fourth studio album from country artist Billy Ray Cyrus. It was released on August 20, 1996, and two singles were released: the title track and "Three Little Words", which respectively peaked at number 69 and number 65 on the country charts.

The album debuted at number 125 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and at number 20 on the U.S. Top Country Albums.^[1] The album has sold more than 250,000 copies worldwide. Despite low sales the album was the first to receive widespread critical acclaim from music critics for Cyrus, earning him industry respect from Nashville.

Content

Included on Trail of Tears are covers of "Harper Valley PTA", originally recorded by Jeannie C. Riley, "Sing Me Back Home", originally recorded by Merle Haggard and The Strangers, and "Crazy Mama", originally recorded by J. J. Cale.

Cyrus is a credited writer on all other tracks, except for the album's second single, "Three Little Words".

Critical reception

AllMusic's Thom Owens called it Cyrus' "most personal and [most] accomplished album", pointing out the "rootsy production flourishes" that added grit and edge to the overall sound and Cyrus having more conviction in his delivery, concluding that: "In fact, Trail of Tears suggests that he may be able to carve out a successful career for himself, after all." Alanna Nash of Entertainment Weekly called it "a rapidly maturing, bleeding-heart blend of roots rock and country classics wrapped in bare-bones production." She added that "Need a Little Help" and the title track had the potential to turn Cyrus into an "artistic contender".

Personnel

Credits adapted from the Trail of Tears media notes.^[2]

Sly Dog

• Billy Ray Cyrus – lead vocals, background vocals, acoustic guitar
• Greg Fletcher – drums
• Corky Holbrook – bass guitar
• Michael J. Sagraves – dobro, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, steel guitar, harmonica, mandolin, slide guitar
• Terry Shelton – drums, 12-string guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboards, percussion
• Barton Stevens – keyboards, background vocals

Additional Musicians

• Ava Aldridge – background vocals
• Jeff E. Cox – bass guitar
• Mark Douthit – saxophone
• John Griffiths – background vocals
• Lee Hendricks – bass guitar
• Wanda Vick – fiddle
• Don Von Tress – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, background vocals
• Bob Workman – bass guitar

Production

• Billy Ray Cyrus – co-producer
• Terry Shelton – co-producer, mixing
• John Jaszcz – mixing
• Chuck Linder – assistant engineer
• Michael Joe Sagraves – assistant engineer
• Hank Williams – mastering

Chart performance

Album

Chart (1996)	Peak position
Canadian Top Country Albums	14
Swiss Music Charts	50
U.S. Billboard 200	125
U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums	20

Singles

Year	Single	Peak chart positions
		US Country	CAN Country
1996	"Trail of Tears"	69	59
1997	"Three Little Words"	65	61

Notes and References

1. Katie Hasty, "'NOW 25' Fends Off 'Hairspray,' Prince To Remain No. 1", Billboard.com, August 1, 2007.
2. Trail of Tears. Billy Ray Cyrus. Mercury. 1996. media notes. P2 32829.